wheel BUICK RANDEZVOUS 2004 Owner's Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-22
Child Restraints
.......................................1-47
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-72
Restraint System Check
............................1-82
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-19
Mirrors
....................................................2-32
OnStar
®System
......................................2-33
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-35
Storage Areas
.........................................2-39
Sunroof
..................................................2-48
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-49
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-28
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-39
Message Center
.......................................3-50Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-60
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-73
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-33
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-55
Tires
......................................................5-57
Appearance Care
.....................................5-99
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-107
Electrical System
....................................5-108
Capacities and Specications
...................5-115
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Buick Rendezvous Owner ManualM

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-43.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here’s why:They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on
wheels.
1-23

Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-75

{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don’t let seat covers block the
ination path of a side impact air bag.
When Should an Air Bag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.”
In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal air bags,
which adjust the amount of restraint according to crash
severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these air bags
inate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front
of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t move
or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment
is about 12 to 18 mph (19 to 29 km/h), and the threshold
level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph (29 to
38.5 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with
specic vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.
1-77

If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
air bags are not designed to inate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because ination
would not help the occupant.
Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact air
bag. SeeAir Bag Systems on page 1-72. Side impact air
bags are designed to inate in moderate to severe
side crashes. A side impact air bag will inate if
the crash severity is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.” The threshold level can vary with
specic vehicle design. Side impact air bags are
not designed to inate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because ination would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.For frontal air bags, ination is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, ination is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the air bag. The inator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
impact air bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door.
1-78

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motionis not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag.
1-79

What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inates?
After the air bag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags, the side
of the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s door will be hot. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deated air bags. Air
bag ination doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
1-80

In many crashes severe enough to inate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you’ll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag
system won’t be there to help you in another crash. A
new system will include air bag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual for your vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with two electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module, which
records information about the frontal air bag system.
The module records information about the readiness
of the system, when the system commands air bag
ination and driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
The module also records speed, engine RPM, brake
and throttle data.
Let only qualied technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-81

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
If you have all-wheel drive, keep your speed at
55 mph (88 km/h) or less for the rst 500 miles
(805 km).
Do not drive at any one speed — fast or
slow — for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with new
linings can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing a
Trailer on page 4-42for more information.
2-19

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition, you can turn the key to four
different positions.
A (OFF):This is the only position in which you can
remove the key. This position locks the steering wheel,
ignition and transaxle.Notice:If your key seems stuck in OFF and you
can’t turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the steering
wheel left and right while you turn the key hard. Turn
the key only with your hand. Using a tool to force it
could break the key or the ignition switch. If none of
these works, then your vehicle needs service.
B (ACCESSORY):This position allows you to use
things like the radio and the windshield wipers while the
engine is off. This position will allow you to turn off
the engine, but still turn the steering wheel. Use
ACCESSORY if you must have your vehicle in motion
while the engine is off, for example, if your vehicle
is being pushed or towed.
C (ON):This is the position that the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the key.
The switch stays in ON when the engine is running. But
even when the engine is not running, you can use
ON to operate your electrical power accessories, and to
display some instrument panel warning lights.
D (START):This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON for normal driving.
If the engine is not running, ACCESSORY and ON are
positions that allow you to operate your electrical
accessories, such as the radio.
2-20